A magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) microfluidic platform for cell switching

We present for the first time the demonstration of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) micropump based microfluidic platform for cell switching. MHD micropumps were fabricated with a novel microfabrication process that can make vertical electrodes embedded inside microchannels to provide higher efficiency of pumping of the fluid. Multiple micropumps can be integrated on the same platform to have switching function for cell sorting. We have successfully demonstrated the pumping of two types of cells: mouse neural stem cells and neuroblastoma cells.